5 Email Templates To Boost Your Fundraising Efforts

With a strong community and the will to succeed, you can move mountains. Or at the very least, donor wallets.

Charitable donations grew 4.1% over the past year. Fundraisers are an effective, crucial piece of any non-profit funding strategy–and as such, are incredibly common. But have you ever wondered how it all began?

Charitable giving has a long history, dating back to ancient times; but the concept of modern-day fundraising for nonprofits began in the mid-19th century, with wealthy donors giving money to specific causes or organizations.

Fundraisers have also played a huge role during both world wars.

With time, the act of giving persisted and flourished across the world. Here’s a graph that shows total charitable giving since the 1990s.

The next milestone occurred in the era of television, when organizations began promoting fundraisers through stories and visuals. One of the most well-known is an ad by The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, starring singer Sarah McLachlan. The ad ran for three years and raised $30 million!

Then came the Internet. It changed the way we did everything–especially how we interacted–and led to online fundraisers through email.

Given the statistics and potential impact of email fundraising, it’s clear that when people connect with a cause, they also become a part of it and support it. A supportive network is the key to reaching people with your vision. By nurturing these relationships with authenticity and transparency, donors will be more likely to contribute generously towards your shared goals.

This blog explores how you can start your newsletter for fundraising, as well as a complete guide on writing a fundraising email, some tips, and some of my favorite fundraising email templates!

How Do You Write A Fundraising Email?

Emails are a great way to build a sense of community. The most important thing is to share your vision with the people on your list. Tell them the numbers and stats. Tell them about the cause the fundraiser supports and what you plan to do with the donations you receive. Paint a picture of what the world will look like if your organization achieves its goals.

Raising Awareness

Before you begin writing, you should have a list of potential donors to send your fundraising emails to. If you don’t, or if your list is looking a bit underwhelming, the first step is to begin raising awareness–which you can do by starting a newsletter, using your socials, and then sending emails.

Start A Newsletter

Building a community through newsletters is one of the best ways to create a strong support system. You can start a newsletter for your organization and gain more traction for your ideas, impact, and actions.

Here are the first five newsletter content ideas for you to begin with:

• Discuss your vision and the organization's story

• Introduce the team behind the scenes

• Promote other fundraisers

• Feature events and initiatives

• Provide educational content based on your fundraiser

Use Your Socials

Launching a paid community will also help you drive funds. Use social media to reach more people, tell stories, and talk about your ideas. Social media is the catalyst that can help you promote your cause and reach out to people who can help you make a difference.

You can share stories on Instagram and LinkedIn. Sharing your learnings along the way can be a great Twitter content strategy!

Send Out Emails

Newsletters are a big part of your email strategy. Sending fundraising emails to the people in your existing email list provides them with more perspective and helps you reach out to a bigger audience.

How Do You Write A Professional Email Asking For Donations?

The first thing you need to do is segment your audience.

If your audience includes professionals and companies, you have a higher chance of getting funds from them. Have they made any donations yet? What demographic information do you have that can give you a clue as to what you can expect from them?

Segmentation helps you reach your target audience–and with beehiiv’s grow plan, you can automate your emails, segment your list, and streamline your workflow.

Once you segment your list, you can begin writing. Here are the answers to some of the most common FAQs about how to write fundraising emails.

What Should I Title My Fundraising Email?

Even though the phrase “don’t judge a book by its cover” is quite famous, your subject line makes or breaks the game. It is the one sentence by which the reader decides if they want to open and read your email–or not.

Here are five subject lines that can help you boost your open rate:

• Are you looking to support a good cause?

• Can you help us?

• Open to making an impact.

• Discover how YOU can change lives.

• What difference will you make today?

How Do You Politely Ask For A Fundraiser?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is currently exploding in the marketing space, leading to an increase in spam emails. The only way to make your content reaches people’s hearts, and not just their inboxes, is by adding your personality to it. Stories win hearts–and you can leverage the art of storytelling to connect with potential donors.

Here are some ideas to begin with:

• After interviewing a person your organization has helped, write a story that includes photos of their responses.

• Record a video interview and post it in your email campaign.

• Ask a parent, friend, or loved one to talk about the impact the organization has made in their life, or their loved one’s life, and share an anecdote.

• Make a powerful film showcasing the services your organization offers and how they affect the people you interact with daily.

Ending your email on the right note is also important. Just as the introduction should grab people’s attention, and you tell them more about yourself and your project, you should use the ending to ask them to take action for you.

A clear CTA can make it easy for the reader to take the action you need them to take. Also, make it easy for people to donate by providing them with a direct link!

To express your gratitude, track and evaluate your emails. You can:

• Send a follow-up thank you email

• Send a tangible thank you card

• Highlight one or several of your donors on your social media platforms

• Invite donors to special events or give them gifts.

Try These Templates For Your Fundraising Email

It is not just the subject line–the body of your email also drives people and moves them to take action. These email templates are a good place to start.

Email Template #1: General Fundraising Appeal

Subject: Help [Your Organization] make a difference!

Dear [Donor's Name],

As a valued supporter of [Your Organization], we want to thank you for your continued support of our mission to [Your Mission]. The impact we’re able to make is only possible because of supporters like you.

We want to express our gratitude and ask for your continued support of our fundraising efforts. Your donation of [Donation Amount] will help us to [Your Goals]. Every donation counts, and we appreciate even the smallest gesture from your end.

Please visit our donation page [Insert Link] to make your contribution today. Together, we can make a real difference in the lives of [Your Beneficiaries].

Thank you for your continuous support and trust.

Best regards,

[Your Name]

[Your Organization]

Email Template #2: Matching Gift Appeal

Subject: Double your impact with a matching gift

Dear [Donor's Name],

We have great news to share with you today! Thanks to the generosity of a group of donors, we have a matching gift challenge underway. This means that every donation made between [Start Date] and [End Date] will be matched, doubling your impact!

We are reaching out today to ask for your help in meeting this challenge. Your donation of [Donation Amount] will help us reach our fundraising goal and make an even greater impact in the lives of [Your Beneficiaries].

Please visit our donation page [Insert Link] to make your contribution today and double your impact.

Thank you for helping us in fulfilling our vision and goals.

Best regards,

[Your Name]

[Your Organization]

Email Template #3: Monthly Giving Appeal

Subject: Join our monthly giving program and make a difference all year long

Dear [Donor's Name],

As a valued supporter of [Your Organization], we wanted to share an exciting opportunity with you. By joining our monthly giving program, you can make a difference all year long!

Your monthly donation of [Monthly Donation Amount] will help us to [Your Goals] every month. This sustained support is critical to our ongoing work and enables us to make a real impact in the lives of [Your Beneficiaries].

Please visit our donation page [Insert Link] to sign up for our monthly giving program today. Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

[Your Organization]

Email Template #4: Monthly Giving Campaign

Subject: Join our Monthly Giving Program and make a lasting impact

Dear [Donor's Name],

As a supporter of [Your Organization], you know firsthand the impact that our work has on [Your Beneficiaries]. We are so grateful for your generosity, and we wanted to invite you to take your support to the next level.

By joining our Monthly Giving Program, you can make a lasting impact on the lives of [Your Beneficiaries] all year long. Your monthly donation of [Donation Amount] will help us [Your Goals]. Plus, as a monthly donor, you'll receive [Benefits of being a monthly donor].

Joining our Monthly Giving Program is easy. Simply visit our donation page [Insert Link] and choose the "Monthly" option. Be it the small steps or the giant ones, everything is possible with consistent efforts. You can choose the amount you want to give each month, and also change or cancel your donation at any time.

Thank you for considering this special opportunity to make a difference. Together, we can create lasting change in our community.

Warm regards,

[Your Name]

[Your Organization]

Email Template For Fundraising (Top Pick)

As I said, stories move people. The more you’re able to share about your organization’s work and impact, the more funding you’re likely to receive.

Thus, our top pick and favorite fundraising email template is the Impact Story Appeal. This email respectfully and professionally asks for a donation after showcasing an example of the organization's impact on beneficiaries.

Email Template #5: Impact Story Appeal

Subject: See the impact of your support

Dear [Donor's Name],

As a valued supporter of [Your Organization], we wanted to share a heartwarming story with you about the impact your donations made last month.

[Insert impact story of a beneficiary and how your organization helped them]

We believe in transparency and trust. This story is just a drop in the ocean that can help build the lives of thousands of other people who are in need. Without your generosity, we wouldn't be able to do this and achieve our shared goals.

Your donation of [Donation Amount] helped us make this difference last month. Your support in the future will help us weave more of such stories.

Please visit our donation page [Insert Link] to make your contribution today. Together, we can continue to change lives and make a positive impact in our community.

Thank you for all the trust you put in us.

Best regards,

[Your Name]

[Your Organization]

Final Thoughts on Fundraising Emails

And that’s a wrap!

Fundraisers are fun when you connect with people who share the same values. Leveraging social media, a strong community, and a powerful email list can help you reach your goals and grow more.

Be it about starting your newsletter, or building your email list, beehiiv is the perfect platform to fulfill all your email fundraising needs. Tracking your email campaigns can be tough if done all alone. Fortunately, beehiiv provides 3D analytics, helping you better analyze your outreach for continued improvement.

You need an email service platform that can make your workflow streamlined, improve your deliverability and most importantly get you closer to your goals. beehiiv’s tools are here to help you focus on your vision. Our team is always here to support you.

Happy fundraising!